Rail-brace and fastening means therefor.



PATENTED AUG. `ll, 1908.

AGf..W. WHITEMAN. A RAIL'BRACE AND PASTENING MEANS THEREFOR.

APPLICATION FILED MAB.. 21, 1907. V

f ,UNUSED sTATEs TPATENT oFF-ion.

GEORGEW. wHiTnMAN, OF-PHILADELPH'IA', PNNSYLVANIA.

RAIL-Banen AND FASTENING' MEANS "rnnnnisoiay Specification of Letters Patent.

' Patented Ang. 11, 190s.

appiicaaoniii'eii 'March 21,1907. `simi Nonsense. i l

The obj let of my invention is to provide an improved form of rail-brace vand fasten- 'ingv therefor, which structure, is particularly adapted -for use adjacent `the switch points of railroad or railway tracks, and my invention comprises 4a structure that is` readily adjustable to take up .any wear on the inner side of the rail heads g the fastening ltherefor being one that l inayl be positively secured after such adjustnient.

. secured tol such tie.

My invention is fully lshown in the accompanyingdrawings in which: f

The rail-brace and vadjustabloffastening means forming the subject of'my invention may bc employed-in connection with ties of 'any character, whether oiinetal, wood, or

composite lstructures, but when of wood, a

plate, also ,forming partoi my invention, will' be combined therewith, beingperinanently Figure 1, isla plan view of a tie and a por- ,tionl of thc rails adjacent switch points, showing thestructureforming the subject of my invention in position of use; .Fig 2, is a view showing side-elevations of. the structure forming thcl'subject of my invention, mounted in til-ie position of use withl respect to the tie and'` rails Fig.: '3,is aplan view 'of' a tieplate `forming palrtfoic 'my invention; Fig. 4, is a perspective'view of my improved railbrace'jFig'. 5i`s'an` enlarged perspective View of `a part ofthe rail-brace, and Figs. 6

and 7, 'are' vieiifs illustratingdetails of my invention, v j y The Jfasteningr means employed in coinbination with the structure forming the 'sub'-vv ject of iny invention are of the saine. general form ais those disclosei'l in inypi'ior patents, Nos. 828,793; 828,794, and 828,795, dated August 14, 1906. In the present instance, I have provided duplex lfastening means tor holding the rail-brace in'place; lthereby insuring a rigid support for the rail.

In the draiif'ings hcrewitli,\1 represents a tie, which may be of wood, or other material, 2 the rails, and 3 a bridleor tie-plate permanently secured to the tie and upon which said rails rest said plate being fastened 'to the tie by any suitable means, preferably` by the bolts or lag screws 4. Y- (The rails maybe spiked to the tie on the inner side in the usual manner if desired, although as the the head-,outward it is not necessary 'to ap'- VSaid rails.) For the outer sides of the rails, however, I provide braces 5 forming the subto avoid the necessity of providing rights and lefts. n f j The plate 3 carried by the tie is provided late as at 6, in Figs. 1, '2, 3 and 4, or by turning the end of the same as atv 6a. in Figs.` 6 and 7. foot 7, beveled at the saine angle as said projections, and when ap lied to the rail, the body of said brace wil lie `against the head yupon the tie-plate';` the outer iedge 8 of said foot lying in engagement withv one of said angular projections. l ,i v

-slots 9 parallel'with the beveled edgeof said foot fer the passage of lag screws or bolts; 'the screws. indicated at 10,' being `let into the tie from the to while when bolts 1()a are used, they pass rom below through the plate 3, and the tie will be recessed at 11 for the foot 7, is notched or serrated across the slots Q, asindicated at 12, and clearly shown in Figs.`1, 4 and 5, and these notches or serrations may beat rright angles to the. rail, or at right angles tothe-beveled edge. of the foot, as desired. Confined by the screws or bolts, and intorposed between the heads of the same and the notched or `serrated surface .of the foot 7 of `the rail-brace, is a' locking member 15, having independent apertures for said bolts and being notched or'serrated on its under face for engagement with the rail-brace loot. While thisi member is movable vertically on the screws or bolts', which when set up tight normally lock it to the foot of the rail-brace, it is held by said bolts against lateral movement in any direction. It will be seen, therefore, that when this member is held by said screws or bolts in Contact with the conii pleinentary notched face of the foot of the pressure of Wear is against the inner face of ject of-my invention, which are of the. same construction and 'contour foreach rail, so as at or near its ends with angiilarly faced projections formed by pressing up a part of vthe heads of the same.. The upper face of said ply any Jfastening means on the inner side of The rail-brace is provided `with a and flange of the rail, whilethe foot will rest f The foot 7 ofthe rail-brace is 'provided withy 1 ment with the notched or serrated face of theV foot of the rail-brace, and then to move the latter againstl the rail in its new position until it is wedged between thc saine and the angular face of the engaging projection of the tieplate.

lVhcn'the rail-brace is fixed in its new position, the lacking member 1.5 is dropped into fresh'engagement with the notches or serrations on the 'foot of said brace. the fastening means will be tightened, and said lot-kinY i member 1:) being maintained in `fixed posis tion with relation to said fastening means, it serves the purpose of holding the rail-brace in 'fixed position with relation to said fastening means carried by the tie, or the Aplate mounted upon the saine, thereby maintaining the rails tirinly `fixed in the desired posit ion, The tie-plate is provided with `the usual wear surfaces 1G, which in the present instance are pressed up from the metal of said tie-plate. when my imprinted rail-brace is employed with metallic ties, the upper snrfa-ce of the latter ma)v be provided with the angularlv faced engaging projections and the wear surfaces. i

Instead of providing a special locking member for the rail-brace, the surface of Jthe tie-plate or tie may be 4notched or serrated, and the under surface ofA the foot o'f the railbrace ma7 be provided-with'complementary notches or Serrat-ions for engagement therewith, the securing means therefor being otherwise the same.

I claim:

1. In combination, a rail brace. arranged to engage arail, a tie-plate on which said rail and brace rest, said rail brace engaging the head and base of the rail and having an inclined foot with a serrated upper surface, an

inclined or angularly disposed portion carnaine to this specii'ieation, in the presence of ried by said tie plate and integral therewith engaged by said inclined foot, a complementary serrated member engaging the upper surface of the foot of said rail brace, and mea-ns for l'iolding said tie. plate and complementaiw member in ixed relation and clamping said rail brace in adjusted position.

2. In combination, a rail brace for engaging a rail, a tie-plate for supporting the rail and said brace, said rail brace engaging the head and base of the rail and having an. angularljT inclined foot, with a serrated member for engaging the upper surface of the foot of said brace, said serrated member and tieplate held in fixed relation and clamping said brace in adjusted position.

ln con'ibination,a rail brace arranged to rail and b ace rest, said rail brace engaging the head and base ofthe rail and having an inclined foot Iwith a serrated u per surface, an inclined or angularly dispose( portion carried by said metallic base and integral thereinentarv serrated member engaging the upper surface of' the foot of said rail brace, and t means for holding said metallic base and complen'ientary member in -tixed relation and i clamping said rail brace in adjusted posi-tion. 4. Vln combination, a rail brace for engaging the head and base of a rail, a tie plate for supporting the tie and said brace, an angular i abutment carried b v said plate, said brace having an angularfv edged foot for engaging said abutment, wherelnY itniav be wedged between the rail and the said.abutinenh said foot having a serrated 'upper surface with slots therein, and clamping means for holding the brace in adjusted position comprising a plate having a serrated surface. for engaging the upper surface of said foot and bolts adapted to hold it in lixedrelation with said tie.

5. In combination, a rail brace for engaging a rail, a tie-plate for su )porting the tie and said brace, an angular ainitincnt carried by said plate, said brace having an angularly edged foot for engaging said abutment, whereby it may be wedged between the rail and the said abutment, said foot having a in, and clamping means for holding the brace in adjusted position comprising a plate having a serrated surface for engaging they upper surface of said footand two bolts adapted to hold it in fixed relation-with said tie.

ln testimony whereof, I have signed my two subscribing witnesses.

GEORGE W'. flll'lllnhh ll'i t nesses:

Menen' Bovini,

Jos. Il. liriciN.

engage a rail, a metallic base on which said.

with engaged by said inclined foot7 a compleserrated upper surface with two slots there- 

